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    Home > Recipes > Cakes & Cupcakes

    Pumpkin Cake

    ↓ Jump to Recipe · By: Julia Foerster · Posted: 10/30/18 · Updated: 09/16/19 · This post may contain affiliate links

    Pumpkin Cake

    This Pumpkin Cake is moist, tender, and so easy to make from scratch! With the perfect balance of pumpkin flavor and spices, this simple sheet cake is one of the best pumpkin spice cakes you’ll ever eat.

    We love everything Pumpkin during the fall like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies and Pumpkin Spice Muffins.

    A piece of pumpkin cake topped with frosting and a pecan nut on a white plate. A fork has taken out a piece and is lying next to it. There are 2 pieces of cinnamon and two small pumpkins in the background.

    Pumpkin Cake Recipe

    Pumpkin Cake with cream cheese frosting makes a great fall dessert for a crowd! Not only does this pumpkin spice cake taste so flavorful and has the perfect texture but it’s also super simple to make from scratch. You’ll love how easy this recipe is to prepare even if you are a beginner baker! Make sure to watch the video below.

    I’m so excited that fall is finally here because that means it’s getting cold enough to turn the oven on whenever I like without getting a heat stroke. Yay for baking season! I might have gotten a bit overexcited so please excuse all the pumpkin recipes in the last days but I’m just so happy about the colder weather.

    Even though today’s recipe is just a simple sheet cake it will likely become one of your favorite pumpkin cake recipes because it’s so delicious with a perfect balance of flavor and texture while being super easy to make! You have to try it!!

    Top-down close-up shot of a sheet cake topped with white frosting and pecan nuts, cut into squares.

    Tips and Tricks for Making this Pumpkin Spice Cake

    • To make this cake a little bit healthier: Instead of 1 cup vegetable oil, try 1/2 cup (90g) unsweetened applesauce and 1/2 (120ml) cup vegetable oil.
    • Instead of pumpkin spice, you can also use 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/8 tsp cloves
    • Did you know that shiny metal pans, dark metal pans, and glass pans cook differently? Dark pans and glass dishes cook the outside of the cake faster than shiny metal pans do. So turn the oven down 25° F when using a dark metal pan or glass bakeware.
    • Also, keep in mind that every oven is different! Unless you have a regularly calibrated oven, your oven’s temperature is probably inaccurate. So keep an eye on your cake and always test with a skewer for doneness, the skewer should come out clean.
    • Instead of cream cheese, you can also use the same amount of Mascarpone cheese. I love the taste of mascarpone in frosting! It is not as tangy as cream cheese and has a mild buttery flavor.
    • This cake can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 4 days. Let get to room temperature before serving.

    A baking pan with batter, with a black and white spatula in it.

    How to make Pumpkin Cake

    This cake has a tender and soft texture because the eggs, sugar, and oil are beaten until the mixture is fluffy. This step is really important because there is so much pumpkin added to the batter. You want this cake to be moist but not dense and wet.

    The right balance of texture and flavor makes this cake so delicious! This cake really tastes like pumpkin and not only like pumpkin spice or sugar and the texture is just perfect. Even after a few days in the fridge this easy pumpkin sheet cake still tastes fresh and not dry!

    top-down shot of a piece of pumpkin cake topped with frosting and a pecan nut on a white plate. A fork has taken out a piece and is lying next to it. There are 4 pieces of cinnamon and two small pumpkins next to it.

    WANT TO TRY THIS PUMPKIN SHEET CAKE RECIPE?

    PIN IT TO YOUR CAKE BOARD TO SAVE IT!

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    A piece of pumpkin cake topped with frosting and a pecan nut on a teal plate. A fork has taken out a piece and is lying next to it. The whole sheet cake is in the background.
    Servings: 16

    Pumpkin Cake Recipe

    This Pumpkin Cake is moist, tender, and so easy to make from scratch! With the perfect balance of pumpkin flavor and spices, this simple sheet cake is one of the best pumpkin spice cakes you'll ever eat.
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 35 minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Calories: 342kcal
    Author: Julia Foerster
    5 from 7 votes
    Print PIN RECIPE Rate

    Ingredients

    Cups - Metric

    For the Pumpkin Cake:

    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 tsp salt
    • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
    • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin spice
    • 1 cup vegetable oil
    • 4 large eggs
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 1/2 cup brown sugar
    • 1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree

    For the Frosting:

    • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
    • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened and cut into pieces (225g)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
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    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
    • In a medium bowl combine, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whisk together oil, eggs, granulated sugar, and brown sugar at medium-high speed until thick and creamy, about 4 minutes.
    • Reduce speed to low and add pumpkin puree. Beat until combined.
    • With the mixer running on low add the flour mixture in three additions. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix.
    • Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in the middle of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
    • Transfer pan to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
    • To make the frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat butter and cream cheese until smooth.
    • Add vanilla and powdered sugar, mix on low until combined, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 minutes. 
    • Frost cake and serve. Cake can be refrigerated for up to 4 days. Let get to room temperature before serving. 

    Notes

    Recipe originally published October 2017. Updated with recipe video, new photos and some little changes to the recipe.

    Nutrition Information

    Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 290mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 4565IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 1.5mg
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    Nutrition Facts
    Pumpkin Cake Recipe
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 342 Calories from Fat 117
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 13g20%
    Saturated Fat 7g35%
    Cholesterol 71mg24%
    Sodium 290mg12%
    Potassium 178mg5%
    Carbohydrates 53g18%
    Fiber 1g4%
    Sugar 38g42%
    Protein 4g8%
    Vitamin A 4565IU91%
    Vitamin C 1.2mg1%
    Calcium 68mg7%
    Iron 1.5mg8%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Kathy says

      November 05, 2021 at 12:44 am

      5 stars
      I don’t usually post comments to recipes and especially not if I have varied from the original recipe. However, I have to tell you how great the recipe was and how fantastic the cake was. I altered the recipe by using a gluten-free flour blend. That was the only variation I made. My family loved the cake and no one realized it was gluten free until I told them as I was enjoying a piece of this moist and flavorful cake. I loved the details of your instructions in the recipe, too. I’ve cooked for years and years and having these details in the recipe ensure the cake will turn out perfect. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Julia Foerster says

        November 05, 2021 at 11:23 am

        Thank you so much for your comment, Kathy! It’s always helpful for other readers to know that it works with gluten-free flour.

        Reply
    2. Carolyn says

      October 30, 2020 at 11:34 am

      5 stars
      This cake is delicious. I replace the vanilla in the frosting with maple extract and it’s amazing. Currently making some into cupcakes for our Halloween party. Thank you!

      Reply
    3. Maryse says

      November 28, 2019 at 11:49 pm

      5 stars
      Very moist!

      Reply
    4. Anita says

      November 21, 2018 at 9:12 am

      Hello! Do you know what the adjusted time would be for 2 round 8in pans?

      Reply
      • Julia says

        November 21, 2018 at 9:20 am

        I would start checking for doneness after 25 min and then every 5 minutes. – Julia

        Reply
    5. BA Bonetti says

      October 31, 2018 at 8:23 am

      5 stars
      Would this work in a Bundt pan and how would you adjust the baking time?

      Reply
      • Julia says

        October 31, 2018 at 8:48 am

        I haven’t tried it but it should work! I would use a 10-inch bundt pan and bake it for about 1 hour but start checking if the cake is done with a skewer after 40 minutes and then every 5-10 minutes. Hope that helps! Please share how it worked out if you give it a try!

        Reply
    6. Sues says

      October 30, 2018 at 10:37 am

      5 stars
      This cake looks so perfectly moist and flavorful! And I love all your helpful tips for baking it- great recipe!

      Reply
    7. Melissa Belanger says

      October 30, 2018 at 10:35 am

      5 stars
      This is the best pumpkin cake I’ve ever had! And, I love how easy it is since it’s a sheet cake!

      Reply

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    Julia Foerster from Plated Cravings

    Hi, I'm Julia! Born in Germany, I call Canada now my home and love to share my favorite dishes with you! Here you'll find hundreds of recipes, all made from scratch with lots of tips and detailed step-by-step instructions. ➝ Visit my about page and ➝ subscribe to never miss a new recipe!

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